Pick out 14 of your favorite honey bun strips, cut them so they are 15-16″ long. You can use the rest of of the strips for another project or bag.

Step 2 – Cut two 7″ pieces. These will be for the top of the bag.

Step 3 – Cut two 15 x 7″ pieces out of your 1/3 yard of coordinating fabric. Make sure when you cut these that there is enough fabric to make the handles which will require 2 – 21 x 4″ pieces of fabric. Sew the two 15 x 7″ coordinating fabrics onto the bottom of the two pieced pieces of fabric. Make sure that the end strip of 1st piece and beginning strip of 2nd piece are different so that when the bag is sew together there aren’t two of the same strips by each other.
Step 4 – Cut two batting pieces a little bigger than the pieced pieces you just finished. Lay pieced fabric on top of batting and quilt. If you don’t know how or don’t want to free hand quilt with your machine, you could just sew in between each stripe and at the bottom. Do this with both pieced pieces.

Step 5 – Trim extra batting off of both pieces. Place right sides together making sure the strips of fabric are together and the bottoms are together and sew around the sides and bottom using a 1/4″ seam allowance, turn fabric right side out.

Step 6- Making the tie around the middle of bag. Cut a 3″ x 37″ piece of fabric from your 1/4 yard of coordinating fabric. Fold in half width wise with right sides together and press. Cut both ends off at a 45 degree angle, or whatever looks good to you. Sew up the ends and down the side of tie (leaving an opening to turn). Now turn so right sides are out and press. stitch up small opening on side.

Step 7 – Pin tie onto the bag. Do this by folding tie in half length wise to find the middle and mark, also mark the middle of the back of the bag where the strips of fabric meet the bottom fabric. Now fold the fabric in half length wise, this just helps with making sure it’s centered on the bag when you pin it. Starting at the back of the bag where you marked, and the mark on the middle of the tie start pining tie onto bag by lining up the fold of the tie to the seam where the strips of fabric and bottom of bag come together and pin all the way around. Stop pinning when you get to the front middle two strips. This is where you’ll tie a knot. I feel like I just made that way more complicated then it needed to be, hopefully it makes some sense.

Now sew tie onto bag using about a 1/8″ seam allowance and sewing down the top and bottom of tie fabric. Remember to stop when you get to the front two middle strips of fabric.

It should look like this……………

Now the easy part……..tie it into a knot.

Step 8 – Turn the bag inside out. At the bottom of inside of bag measure in 2 1/4″ inches on the side and bottom of bag at both corners. Now reposition so that the marks on the side seam and bottom seam are touching.

Pin at cut at the mark so it looks like this…………sew closed using a 1/4″ seam allowance. Do this on both right and left sides of bag.

Turn right side out and wa la, it should look like this.

Step 9 – Inside or lining of tote bag. Cut two 14 x 15″ pieces of broadcloth or coordinating fabric. Place right sides together and sew around the sides and bottom leaving about a 4 inch opening on one of the sides.

Step 10 – Handles. Cut two 21 x 4 inch pieces of fabric out of the 1/3 yard of coordinating fabric. Fold piece of fabric in half width wise and press. Unfold and fold outer edges into the middle crease. Now fold entire piece of fabric in half width wise and sew closed using about 1/8″ seam allowance.

Center handle between the 3rd and 4th strip like shown below and pin on both sides. Turn fabric around and pin 2nd handle on the back by doing the same thing.

Step 11 – Loop Closure. Cut a 4 x 61/2″ piece of fabric out of your coordinating 1/4 yard piece. Fold, iron and sew just like you did the handles. Now fold the sewn piece of fabric in half length wise and press. Fold both sides down at a 45 degree angle using the middle crease as your guide.

Turn piece around and sew down the bottom of the triangle of fabric using a 1/8″ seam allowance.

Pin onto the back of bag at the top in the very middle.

Step 12 – Last Step. Put the entire tote bag inside the lining so that the right side of bag and right side of lining is together. Line up the side seams and pin. Line up the tops of fabric and pin a few times. Now sew along the top all the way around using 1/4″ seam allowance.

Pull the outside of bag through the opening that you left on the side of your lining fabric. Stitch closed the 4″ opening left on the side for turning. Tuck lining of bag inside and press.Now stitch around the top using a 1/8″ seam allowance.

Sew the button onto the front and you are done!!!

One Very Cute Tote Bag, perfect size to hold your crafts, a few diapers or even use as a purse.

Is there something I have missed? Why do I need 22 inch strips if the total cut piece is only 7 Inches x 2 i.e. 14 inches total. Could I just cut 15 inch strips and piece and then cut the relevant strips. I am asking bcs we do not have ready made cut strips in Sri Lanka and I have to cut individual pieces and piece them together.Would appreciate a reply.

Another comment about the directions: for the handles, it says to cut two pieces for what I assume would be two handles. However, the directions only have us sewing one handle on, one side on the back, the other on the front. I'm guessing this was either an oversight, or an option to have two handles vs. one?

Erin….the instructions say “Center handle between the 3rd and 4th strip like shown below and pin on both sides. Turn fabric around and pin 2nd handle on the back by doing the same thing. I hope this helps?

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